Protective device for control circuit of electric phonograph or the like



Aug. 29, 1933. E, M|LLS 1,924,619

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR CONTROL CIRCUIT OF ELECTRIC PHONOGRAPH OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 14, 1951 lJi llI/I/II/I/I/Ill controller which in turn controls the operation a protective circuit whichlrende'rs the playing .5 preferably of the automatic typev andmay be controlled, electrically operated phonographs, or t the like, when the same are adapted to be con Patented Aug. 29, 1933 h 1,924,619 I PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR CONTROL, 0m

CUIT 0F ELECTRIC PHQ Bert n. Mills, oak Park, 111., assign to" Mill s Novelty' Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Applicationjanuary 14,1931. Serial No.- 508,643 9 Claims. (01. 194 97 Thisinvention relates to a protective device forpreventing the fraudulent operation of cointrolled from a remote point as, for example, from awall box which may be placed some distance from the machine itself. t v

In the usual installation of such. instruments the control circuits, are arranged so that the machine may be operated from one or more wall boxes which are placed in various parts of the room to suit the convenience of the customers.

Each wall box is provided-with'a coin switch I the wall boxes.

which is connected by leads to a suitable circuit of the machine. Even though the wires leading to thewallboxes are ordinarily protected by flexible cable, it not infrequently happens that a customer will fraudulently obtain a free performance by cutting through thecable and. shorting the lead wires, thereby closing the circuit to the machine-without using acoin. y a

According to my invention, I'pro videinconjunction with the coin-controlled playing circuit,

circuit ineffective to actuate'the machine when an atternptis made to obtainfree operation by .cuttingthrough the cable andclosing the lead wireswhich connect the circuit controller with The invention will be the following detailed description, which, taken win connectionwith theaccompanying drawing, a p v h terminal 22. ,A. relay, indicated generally by the discloses a preferred embodiment thereoh .Referring to the,drawing? 1 Fig l ,is a diagrammatic view ofa coin-con trolled playing circuit provided with theprotective device of my invention; e

,Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified form'of the protective device; and

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken through, the cable connecting the wallbox to the circuit conltIOllBI'L v 1 Referring to the drawing in detail, andparticularly to Fig. l, the numeral 5 designates a por tion of a coin-operated circuit controller, land the numeral 6 designatesa portion of a wall box located ata remote point with respectto the. circuit controller 5 'I he circuit controller is used to controlthe startingand stopping of any clesiredtype of machinegsuch as an automatic phonograph, radio,'or the like. Oneform of ,cir-

cuitbreaker which may 'be used for, this purpose fully understood from is shown in my co-pending application -SyN 427,670,1iledFebruary 12,1930,

In the present instance only a portion oftlie circuit breaking mechanismisshownl' This in cludes an'electromagnet ,7, the armature 8 ofwhich is provided with an escapement mechanism 9 which controls the movement o'f'a springprovided with means for breaking the circuit to the controlled machine "after the. rendition of service corresponding to the number of coinsintroduced; The armatureS, in addition to being actuated ratchet'wheel" no't shown) which-is controlled froma remote station through the p electromagnet 7, in a mannerpresently tob'e explained. may also be operated from *a' -local paying station by introducing a-propercoin through a coin chute ll, which positioned-to. directth'e coin against the end 'of thearmature 8. Ordinarily thecircuit breaker-Q5 is'located directly on the, phonograph or other instrument which it controls. However,- 'it'umay belo'cated at any convenient point.

The electromagnetj is "energi z'jedfby dronplng acoin' in the wall-boxo in which'is provided acom 7 switch 12., Current supply forthis remote control circuit is takenfromgtheflsctindaryofila' 21 to a post on block 1 8, carries the circuittoa transformer 13, theprimaryof which is connected i h by wires 14 and 15 to a suitablesource'of current supply. Qne side of 'the line ii's' taken :frorritheqv. secondary of the transformer l3throu'gh a lead -16 -to' a post 17 carried 'by a terminahblock'l8 in the wall box 6 A returnllad 19,

numeral 23, is provided with an armaturefl24 which carries-thereturn from the terminal 2'2 to a terminal 25, from which point al' wire 2fi conj nects, with v the coil of the electromaghet-W wire 27 connects the other end-ofthe coil of theg electromagnet with 'theoppositeside of theline.

Assuming the armature 24ism-positiontoibridge the terminals 22 and2 5, shown; it-will be apparentthat upon depositing a-bcinin box 6 to close the coin switch 12, current will flow through thecoil of theelectromagnet 7 tofactuate th armature 8; operation closes the circuit operation of which is to be controlled.

The leads 1e and 19 which connect thefw'au through the phonograph o'r o'ther instrumentnthe f box with the circuit breaker ,areprotected by'a.

flexible armored cable 28,;the opposite ends of 16 and lead 19.

'knife' would inevitably touch the cable 28, and

9 immediately current would flow frompthe lead the coil of the relay with the cable 28; and a wire 33 which connects the 'otherend of the coil or" the relay to the return side of the line; to energize the electromagnet, '7 by cutting through the cable 28, it would be necessary to have the blade of the knife touch both the lead In doing this the blade of the 16 through the blade of the knife tothe cable 28 'and thence through the wire 32 and the relay 23,- which would thereupon be energized tobreak the control circuit by pulling the. armature 24 away from the terminals 22 and 25. Hence, even though the control circuit werethus shorted by i the knife blade, .the electromagnet 7 would not be energized since its circuit would be immediate- 1y opened by operation of the relay 23. The protective circuit wouldoperate in this manner regardless of where the cable 28 were cut, inasmuch as the portion of the cable lying between the circuit breaker 5 and the point of cutting, itself forms a part of the protective circuit.

' If desired; abell 34 may be placed in the protective circuit in parallel with the relay 23. .When the protective circuit is closed to operate the relay 23 thebell 34 willring to indicate to the proprietor that a fraudulent .operationis bei attempted.

' ;A signal of this nature obviously serves as an added deterrent for preventing fraudulentopera- 1 tion of the machine. 1

In the modified form shown in Fig. 2 I have substituted for the relay 23 of Fig.1 a compensating coil for preventinglthe energization of an electromagnet 35, which corresponds to the electromagnet'l, of Fig. 1. The control circuit for energizing the electromagnet 35 includes. a lead ,36 which connectsat 37: to oneside f av coin switch38; areturn lead 39, connecting at 41 to the other'side of the coin switch 38, the opposite. end'of said lead connecting with a coil 42 which energizes electromagnet 35; and a return'wire ,43 leading to the opposite sideof' the line. When thecoin switch 38 isclosed this circuit energizes ielectromagnet 35to startoperation of the phonograph or other instrument.

The protective circuit comprises; a wire' 44, which connects atone end.to an armored cable 45 ,,;which corresponds to cable, 28 of Fig. l, and

at theotheri end to a compensating coil 46 which is wound around the core of electromagnet 35 in a direction opposite to coil 42; and a return wire 4'? connecting with return wire 43. The operation of this circuit is substantially equivalent to the operation of the relay circuit of Fig; 1; .When the leads 36 and 39 are shorted by the knife blade the cable 45 will be touched by the blade so that current will flow throughthe compensating coil 46to neutralize the eiiect of the current flow in coil 42,- thus perventing energization of electromagnet35 and consequent operation of the instrument, It will be understood that the coils 42 and 46. are both wound on the core of electromagnet 35. The windings, however, are

the protective circuit. In order reversed relative to one another so, that When, both coils are energized the flux produced by one neutralizes that produced by the other.

A signal bell 48' may be inserted in the circuit in parallel with the compensating coil 46 to warn the proprietor of an attempted fraudulent operation. As in the form shown in Fig. 1, this arrangement prevents fraudulent operation of the I instrument regardless of the pointat which the ignite blade is inserted. inasmuch as the, portion of the cable 45 lying between the circuit breaker Sand the point-of cutting, itself forms apart of s The circuit breaker 5 may be used to control any type of'instrurnent, such as a phonograph, a radio, or the like. The novelty of the invention is not dependent upon the particular type of instrument which is ultimately controlled by the circuit breaker.

Accordingly, when referring to an. electrically actuated machine, or to acontrolled machine, in the appended c1aims,-it is r the circuit breaker, or an equivalent actuating means, which is referred to, that being the onlyportion of the controlled machine which is directly related to the invention,

The foregoing detailed description has been given for elearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appendedclairns should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art. v

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r v

1. The combination with an electrically-operated machine, a coin-controlled circuit, including a coin switch for controlling the operation thereof, and a metallic cable for shielding theleads from said switch to saidmachine, of a protective device including a circuit for rendering the coincontrolled circuit inoperative to actuate the machine when closed by cutting through the cable, said protective circuit including as a partthereof the portion oi one of the leads and the portion of the cable lying between the point ofcutting and the controlled machine,

2. The combination with an electrically-operated machine; a coin-controlled circuit, including a coin switch for controlling the operation'thr'eof, and a'metallic cable for shieldingthe leads 1 from said switch to said machinefof'electricallyoperated means for rendering thecoin-controlled circuit inoperative to actuate the machine whe'n closed by cutting through the cable, said means including a relay for opening'the coin controlled circuit, the relay circuit including as a part thereof the portion of-one of the leads and the portion of the cable lying between the point of 7 cutting and the controlled machine. i

3. The combination with a coin-controlled cir- V cult, including an electromagnetic actuator, a; coin switch located at a point remote from said actuator, leads connecting said actuator. and switch, anda metallic cable for shielding said leads, ofelectricallyroperated means for rendering-the coinecontrolled circuit inoperative to energize said actuator when closed by cutting ,throughthe cable, said means including a'comthe portion of the cable lying between the point of cutting and the actuator.

4. The combination with an electrically-operated, machine, a coin-controlled circuit,fincluding.

a coin switch, for controlling the operation there- 1 1,924,619 01', and a conductive shield for the leads from said switch to said machine, of electrically-operated means for rendering said coin-controlled circuit inoperative to actuate the machine when said circuit is closed by cutting through said shield, said means including a circuit, one side of which includes a portionof said shield between the point of cutting thereof and the ,con-' .trolled machine. v

5. The combination with an electrically-oper- .ated machine,'a coin-controlled circuit, 'includ Iing a coinswitch, for controlling the operation thereof, and a shield for the leads from said switch to said machine, of a protective device for preventing completion of said coin-controlled circuit in case of cutting through said shield for the purpose of closing said circuit without depositing a coin to operate said switch, said device comprising a circuit including a portion of said shield completed by a knife blade insertedinto the shield, and means operatedtby the closing of said last-mentioned circuitlfor holding saidcointive circuit adapted to be closed when the coincontrolled circuit is closed by an instrument applied to the wires thereof elsewhere than at the coin switch, and means controlled bysaid circuit for preventing effective action of the coin-controlled circuit while the protective circuit'remains closed, said means being operative upon removal of said instrument-to restore the coincontrolled circuit to condition for normaloperation thereof through said coin switch.

I7. In combination, an' electrically-actuated machine, a coin-controlled circuit for energizing the same, said circuit including a coin switch'positioned at a pointremotefrom' thecontrolled coin switch, for energizing said machine, andlan machine, and an electrically-operated device, in-

cluding a protective circuit adapted to be closed when the coin-controlled circuit is closed by an instrument applied to the wires thereof elsewhere thanat the coin switch, and means controlled by coin-controlled circuit while the protective circuit remains closed, said means being operative coin-controlled circuit to' conditionfor normal operationthereof through said coinv switch,

8. In combination -,an electrically-actuated machine, a coin-controlled circuit, including' a' electrically-operated device, including a protective circuit adaptedto be closed whe'n'the' coincontrolled circuit is'closed by an: instrument applied to the wires thereof elsewhere than at the 1 coin switch,. and means controlled by said cir- 'cuit for preventingefiective: action of the coin-' controlled circuit while the protective circuit re- ;upon removal of said instrument to restore the '85 mains closed, said means comprising a relay for,

opening the coin-controlled circuit and being adapted to restore said circuit to condition for normal operation through said coin switch when 1 i said instrument is' removed.

9. Incombination, an electric circuit, including an electro-magnetic actuator; a coin-controlled switch for closing said circuit to energizethe actuator,'and an electrically-operated dej vice, including a protective circuit adapted to be closed when the coin controlled circuit is closed by an instrument applied to the wires thereof,

and means controlled by said protective circuit to. prevent operation of'said actuator while the 1 protective circuit remains closed, said means comprising. a{ compensating coil adapted to bedeenergized when said instrument is removedfl thereby placing said circuitin condition fornormal operation through said coin switch. l

,BERT

8c said circuit for preventinglefiective action of the 

